


All These Years

by indiefic



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Addiction, Adultery, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Car Accidents, Cheating, Child Death, F/M, Home Improvement, I don't have time for the bullshit therapy Peggy would have received in the 60s, Jogging, Rehab, Romance is dead, Smoking, Steve is so bad at accounting, addiction counseling, carwrecks (metaphorical and literal), deck building, more fucking jogging, no really so much smoking, period inappropriate therapeutic approaches, talk therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 05:27:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9705314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indiefic/pseuds/indiefic
Summary: Set in the mid to late 1960s.Steve and Peggy have been married for twenty years, but it may finally be coming to an end.





	

 

She toasted him and they both downed their drinks.  Peggy slammed the shotglass down on the counter, laughing.  He smiled too, maybe a little shy.  She reached for his hand and tugged, drawing him down the hallway.  They didn’t have a lot of time.  But enough.  They both knew why he was here.

In the darkened bedroom, she grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, running her hands over the muscled planes of his body.  So young.  Beautiful.  She kissed him.  It wasn’t his strongest skillset, but what he lacked in technique, he made up for with enthusiasm.

He tugged at the robe she wore, baring her body, his fingertips skimming over her skin.  She laughed as he found a ticklish spot, and dropped the robe to the floor, pulling him to the bed.  He lay down with her eagerly, helping her as she unbuttoned his jeans and shoved the material down his legs.  

He gasped as she took him in her mouth, his hands threading through her hair.  She worked him over.  He was so eager, and in short order, he found his release.  She pulled back, pushing herself up, brushing her hair back out of her face.

The bedroom light flicked on.

Peggy turned, looking at Steve standing in the doorway, his face expressionless.  She watched as he turned off the light.  But he didn’t leave.  He stood there, silhouetted by the light in the hallway.

“I guess I should have called to tell you I was coming home early.”

Peggy reached for the pack of cigarettes on the nightstand and lit one.  The boy shifted nervously on the bed.  She took a long drag and exhaled.

“Son,” Steve said tightly, “you need to leave.  Now.”

The boy scrambled off the bed and threw on his clothes.  Steve stepped back into the hallway and he hurried past.  Peggy took another drag.  She heard the front door slam.

Steve walked into the bedroom and sat down heavily on the end of the bed, staring blindly at the wall.  “I know this isn’t the first one, but it damn sure better be the last.”

She took another drag.  “And if it’s not?”

He shook his head.  “Then it’s over.  And you can find some other pathetic son of a bitch to take care of you.”

She laughed bitterly.  “Take care of me,” she bit out acidly.  “If memory serves I make your dinner.  I keep your house.  I gave birth to your children.  Apparently that doesn’t count for anything.”

“It would,” he said, “if you also didn’t also drink yourself into so much of a stupor that you think screwing the kid who cuts our lawn is a good idea.”  He shook his head.  “I’m sick of the booze, Peg.  You’re a nasty drunk.  Annie deserves a mother who can be there for her.”  He sighed.  “And I deserve a real partner.”

She pushed herself off the bed, grabbing the robe off the floor, shrugging into it.  She walked out to the kitchen and traded the shotglass for a highball.  She filled it half full of gin and took a long drink.

She heard Steve in the back of the house, but she didn’t know what he was doing.  Looking for her other bottles maybe.  Like she wouldn’t just go buy more.  She finished the gin and stood there for a long time.  She looked out the window over the kitchen sink, to the backyard.  Steve had lit one of the trash barrels.  She walked down the hallway to the bedroom.  The bed was completely bare, just a mattress.  She pulled back the curtain and looked at the backyard again.  He’d burned the sheets.  She snorted.

She walked back to the kitchen and opened the door to the backyard.  “If you’re intent on incinerating the soiled sheets,” she called, “there are several more sets in the linen closet you missed.”  She lit another cigarette.  “And your recliner.”  She laughed to herself and went back to the bedroom.

She was standing in the bedroom, smoking, when Steve entered the room with a laundry basket.  He started opening dresser drawers and taking her things out, piling them into the basket.  “What the fuck are you doing?” she demanded.

He didn’t answer, he just kept taking things out of drawers.  She tried to grab the basket, but he wouldn’t let go of it.  She slapped at him, hard.  He caught her hand and pinned her back against the bedroom wall.  They were both breathing hard.  

“You’re moving to the guest room,” he said.  “Or I’m kicking you out of the house.”

“This is  _ my _ room,” she seethed.

“This is  _ my _ house,” he roared, finally snapping.  “You haven’t had a job since John died.  I can’t even remember the last time you cooked something or picked up anything.  You can’t be bothered to show up for Annie, or for me.”  He was breathing hard, shaking.  “You’re not the only one who lost him, Peggy.  You’ve been barely functional for years and I’m  _ done _ .”

Her face crumbled as she started to cry.  Steve released her, shaking his head in disgust.  She slid down the wall until she was sitting on the floor, knees pulled up to her chest.  Steve was muttering under his breath, continuing to shove her things in the laundry basket.  He turned and stalked out of the room.  She could hear him, down the hall in the guest bedroom.  He came back, grabbing her toiletries out of the master bathroom.  He left again, taking them to the main bathroom in the hall.

He finally came back and stood in front of her, looking down at her.  She knew his anger had faded.  It never lasted long.  No matter what she did.

He sighed.  “Get up, Peggy.”

She looked up at him.

 

* * *

 

Peggy sat on the bed in the guest room with the curtains drawn.  She heard the front door open, then footsteps down the hallway.  The bathroom light flicked on.  A moment later, Annie glanced in the guest bedroom and shook her head.  She turned on her heel and went into her room, slamming the door.  A moment later, her stereo was up at full blast.

For hours, Peggy sat in the dark in the guest room, smoking.  She heard Steve talking to Annie, but she couldn’t make out the words.  She knew they ate dinner together in the kitchen.  She heard a car out front, and then a female voice.  Ana, maybe?  Annie left with her.

And then Steve was back, standing in the doorway.  He flicked on the light and she blinked against the brightness.

“Pack a bag,” he said.  “I’m taking you to Glendale.  They can admit you tonight.  Thirty days minimum.  You have to finish the entire program.”

She took another drag.  “And if I don’t go?”

“Then pack a bag anyway,” he said.  “If you’re not going to rehab, then you’re not staying here.  I don’t care where you go.  I’m done watching you kill yourself.  I’m done letting Annie watch.”

She was tempted to try and call his bluff.  How many years had he begged and threatened.  But she understood that something had changed for him.  And if she didn’t go, that was really going to be the end of things.

She nodded.  He left.

It only took her a few minutes.

 

* * *

 

It was a two hour drive.  She sat in the front seat, smoking, as Steve listened to the radio.  There was no conversation.

At Glendale, she sat in a hard plastic chair, waiting as Steve filled out intake forms.  The facility was a converted motel, worn and shabby.  One of the counselors showed her to her room, on the second floor.  He gave her the key and explained the ground rules.  She had no money, no telephone in her room.  There was a zero tolerance policy for alcohol.  Any violation of rules in the first week was automatic grounds to be kicked out.  She would have a full schedule every day of medical checks, counseling sessions, group sessions, chores.

The counselor asked her if she understood and she nodded.  The counselor told her how lucky she was to have a family who cared about her.  And then he left.

She and Steve stood in the middle of the depressing little room.  

“Thirty days,” he said.

Peggy nodded.

He sighed and crossed the room to her.  He cupped the side of her face in his hand and pressed a hard kiss to her forehead.  “Thirty days, Peg.  You can do it.”

She nodded, mindless of the tears on her cheeks.

And then he was gone.  And she was alone.

 

* * *

 

Steve looked up as the door to the conference room opened a week and a half later.  The counselors came in first, four of them, followed by a dozen patients.  At Steve’s side, Annie bristled, crossing her legs as she crossed her arms over her chest.  He reached over and patted her on the knee.

Peggy was the second to last to enter the room.  She looked terrible.  She was thin, her face was losing the bloat from the booze.  She was so pale, her skin sallowed, with deep shadows beneath her eyes.  Her hair looked clean, but it was pulled back in a messy ponytail and wisps of hair sprang free around her face.  She had one arm wrapped around her middle and the other clutched a cigarette.  Her fingernails all looked to be chewed down to the quick.

The chairs were all set up in a circle.  Peggy took the empty seat next to Steve.  She touched Annie lightly on the shoulder as she passed, but Annie didn’t acknowledge her at all.

The lead counselor welcomed everyone, thanked them for participating in the group family session.  Then they went around and did introductions.

“I’m Margaret,” Peggy said.  “This is my husband Steve and our daughter Ann Marie.”

The counselor gave an overview of the treatment so far, told all of the patients how well they were doing, how lucky they were to have family members who chose to participate in the counseling session.  He started off by asking if any of the family members had anything they would like to share.

There was a woman, Connie.  She was young, probably a newlywed, there for her husband, Adam.  Connie seemed nervous, happy to the point of hysteria.  She told everyone how proud she was of Adam, how dedicated he was to changing, how hopeful she was for their family, how excited they both were for the baby she was carrying.

Steve didn’t miss that Peggy looked away, stubbing out one cigarette before immediately lighting another.

There was another family.  The man, David, was in Glendale.  His wife, Loretta, was there with their two young children, Renee and Shannon.  Shannon told everyone how proud she was of her father.

“And you, Ann Marie?” the counselor prompted.  “How do you feel about your mom’s progress?”

Steve cringed inwardly, reaching for Annie’s hand.  She shrugged him off.  “ _ Annie _ ,” she said tightly.  “My name is Annie.  And my mother’s name is Peggy.  I don’t know who Margaret is, or why she’s the one getting treatment here.”

The counselor gave her a tight smile.  “Thank you, Annie, for sharing.”

Annie slumped back in her chair, her foot tapping the air impatiently.

“Steve?” the counselor asked.  “Do you have anything to share?”

Steve leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his thighs.  “We’re just really hopeful that Peg can get the help she needs,” he said.  “We love her.  And we miss her.  It would be great to have her back.”

Peggy looked away, but Steve didn’t miss that she swiped at her cheeks before she lit another cigarette.  He wondered if she realized she already had one burning in the ashtray.

The rest of the session was pretty uneventful.  Annie wasn’t called on again, for which Steve was grateful.  It had been hard enough to convince her to come.  The session wrapped up and one of the counselors, an older woman wearing a purple sweater, crossed the room to where Steve and Annie sat, while Peggy paced a tight circle, smoking.

“So, Margaret,” the woman said, “this is your husband and daughter?”

Peggy nodded.  “This is Donna.  She’s my counselor.”

Steve stood up and shook Donna’s hand.  He nudged Annie in the shoulder, but she didn’t move.  He gave Donna an apologetic look.

“It’s okay,” Donna said gently.  “People don't end up in Glendale because they have the happiest family on the block.  There’s often a lot of relationship rebuilding that has to happen.  The fact that you came here today means a lot.”

Steve nodded gratefully.

Donna smiled.  “Steve, I was wondering if you would be available for a couple’s session now.  Margaret told me that you and Annie aren’t going to be able to stay overnight.”

Steve shook his head.  “We have to head back tonight.  Annie has a paper due on Monday.  But sure, I can do a couple’s session now.”

“And you, Annie?” Donna prompted gently.  “There’s an arts and crafts session in the atrium right now.  Maybe you could do that, and when we’re done talking to your dad, maybe we could talk to you?”

Annie glowered at Donna.  “Fine.”

“ _ Hey _ ,” Steve chided, in a warning tone.  “Watch the attitude.”

Annie rolled her eyes, but followed the rest of the crowd toward the atrium.

Steve turned to look at Donna who motioned in the opposite direction.  “Shall we?”

* * *

 

Steve settled onto the far end of the couch.  Peggy took the other end.  Donna sat across from them in a chair.

Donna leaned forward, her expression grave.  “Margaret has given us her history, but I’m interested in hearing it from you as well.”  She looked down at her notepad.  “You and Margaret have been married for ... twenty years?”

Steve nodded.  “Our anniversary is in May.  It’ll be twenty-one years.”

“And you have your daughter, Ann Marie, who is sixteen.”

Steve looked over at Peggy, who wouldn’t meet his gaze.  He turned back to Donna and nodded.  “Yeah, Annie’s sixteen.  John would have been twenty this past November.”

Peggy crossed her legs and lit another cigarette.

Donna frowned.  “I didn’t realize you had another child.”  She made a note, brow furrowed.  She took a moment and then said, “Margaret mentioned that she’d always been a social drinker, but after she was involved in a car accident ten years ago, she was prescribed prescription painkillers.  She said her addiction issues started there, and grew to include alcohol.”

Steve took a deep breath and nodded.  “That’s about it,” he said.  “Peggy and John were in a car wreck, along with another boy.”  Steve cleared his throat.  “Patrick was killed on impact.  John died on the way to the hospital.  Peggy nearly died.  She spent months in the hospital recovering.”

Donna frowned harder, taking more notes.  Pursing her lips together, she looked at Peggy.  “Margaret, do you agree with Steve’s assessment of the situation?  I didn’t realize that you had a son, or that he was killed in the accident where you were injured.”

Peggy took another long drag off the cigarette.

“Margaret?”

Peggy finally looked at Donna.  “Yes, that’s right.  Steve’s always right.”

Donna frowned.  “Why didn’t you tell me about your son, Margaret?”

Peggy stood up and walked over to the window, staring blindly outside, smoking.

“Peggy doesn’t talk about John,” Steve said flatly.  “Ever.  With anyone.  She took down all of his pictures.  His bedroom is a mausoleum. She’s the only one allowed in there.  She goes in there and gets drunk and cries and then pretends it never happened.”

Donna sighed.  It was clear that Peggy wasn’t going to talk about John.  Donna regrouped.  “Margaret mentioned there have been some troubles in your marriage.”

Steve laughed before he could stop himself.  He shook his head.  “Some troubles?  Sure.  There’ve been some troubles.  Where do you want to start?  Should we start with the fact that she hasn’t been a parent to Annie in years?  Or maybe start with all of her affairs?  Her driver’s license has been suspended twice, and she spent three days in jail.  She’s unemployable at this point.  There was the time that she came to one of Annie’s softball games drunk out of her mind, and hit on the coach.”

Donna looked at him, her expression taut.  “And you let her stay?  Why?”

Steve shook his head and looked away.  “Because I love her.  She’s my wife.  She’s Annie’s mother.”

“But she’s destroying you,” Donna said quietly.

Steve nodded, but didn’t say anything.  He didn’t have anything to say.

“Trust me,” Donna said.  “Margaret asks herself the same questions I’m asking you.  She doesn’t know why you put up with her, or why you keep taking her back.”

“I already told you,” Steve said.  “I love her.”

Donna frowned.  “Do you?  You call it love, but your actions are allowing her to continue this self-destructive spiral.”

He looked at her incredulously.  “What do you want me to do?  Kick her out?  Watch her end up on the streets, or worse?  How would that be better for Annie?”

“At least you wouldn’t be modeling behavior for your daughter.  You wouldn’t be teaching her that the people she loves are going to hurt and disappoint her.  You wouldn’t be teaching her that she’s less important than a bottle of alcohol.”

Steve shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Steve,” Donna asked, “do you think your wife loves you?”

“Fuck you!” Peggy spat, rounding on Donna.

Donna didn’t seem fazed.  She kept her eyes on Steve.  “Do you?” She prompted.  “Do you think she loves you?”

He took a deep breath and released it slowly.  “I think she’s very sick.”

Donna frowned.  “That doesn’t answer my question.”

Steve shrugged.

“Steve, do you think you deserve to be loved?”

“Enough,” Peggy said, walking around the end of the couch, situating herself between Steve and Donna.  “If you want to dissect me, then fine.  Cut away.  Let’s talk about what a fuck up I am.  But leave him alone.  His only mistake was marrying me.”

Donna looked at Peggy placidly, and then to Steve.  “Does she do this a lot?  Does she defend you like this?”

He shrugged.  

She looked up at Peggy.  “He looks like a very strong guy, Margaret.  Very capable.  Do you think he’s too fragile to have this conversation?”

Peggy didn’t say anything, she just stood there and crossed her arms over her chest.  

Donna leaned forward, looking up into Peggy’s face.  “Do you think he doesn’t ask himself if you love him every time you have sex with another man?  Or every time your actions hurt your daughter?”

Peggy shook her head.  “I’m done.  I’m not talking anymore.”

Donna didn’t seem shocked.  She simply made a note in Peggy’s file.  

Peggy looked down at Steve and then headed for the door.  He stood up and followed.  Once they were outside, Peggy lit another cigarette.  She headed for the garden and Steve followed.  She walked down a winding path that eventually led to a goldfish pond.  She stood at the edge, staring down at the fish.  Steve stood at her side.

“I love you,” Peggy said in a near whisper.  “I’ve always loved you.  The things I did - it was never because I didn’t love you.”

He snorted.  “I’m not the most observant guy in the world, Peg, but I always knew you sleeping around was about hate, not love.”

She didn’t deny it.  “I’m surprised Annie agreed to come.”

Steve rocked back and forth, hands shoved in his pockets.  “She didn’t want to,” he admitted.  He looked over at Peggy.  “But she loves you.”

Peggy didn’t say anything.

Steve took a deep breath.  “What do you think about any of this?  You haven’t really said.”

She shook her head.  “I wish every day that I had been the one to die in that wreck, rather than John.”

“Jesus, Peg,” Steve swore.  He took a deep breath.  “Look, if I could have traded places with him, I would have too.  But we can’t.  And it’s been ten years.”

“I know,” she said quietly.

“I love you, Peg,” he said.  “But stop using our dead son as an excuse to throw all of our lives away.”

 

* * *

 

Steve was waiting in one of the sitting areas.  He watched as Annie and Peggy walked out of their session, hand in hand.   Peggy pulled Annie to her and Annie wrapped herself around her mother, sobbing.

They were so much alike, physically and mentally.  They were both tough, but underneath it was so much vulnerability and kindness.  Steve knew that Annie was angry with her mother.  But she still loved her, so much.  Annie still needed Peggy, in ways he wasn’t sure Peggy understood.

Steve stood up and slowly approached them.  Annie pulled away from Peggy and went to Steve. He hugged her close.

Annie went and waited in the car as Steve and Peggy said their goodbyes.  

“So you think you can make it on Thursday?”  Peggy asked.

Steve nodded.  “Yeah.  I can get Ana to stay with Annie.”  He looked at her.  Her eyes were red rimmed and her color was bad.  “Do I stay with you?” he asked.  “Or should I get a motel room in town?”

She looked at him.  “You can stay with me.  If you can handle that.”

He sighed.  “We’ve shared a bed for twenty years, Peg.  We can probably muddle through.”

He pulled her close and pressed a hard kiss to the top of her head.

 

* * *

 

 

Peggy sat in her room, smoking and pacing.  She’d been trying not to smoke in the room for the last couple of days because she knew how much Steve hated it, but she just couldn’t.  She’d had a pot and a half of coffee and her nerves were completely shot.

She looked at the bed.  Steve would stay here tonight - unless she did something to completely screw that up, which wasn’t out of the question.  Sharing a bed with Steve wasn’t news.  She’d shared a bed with him for two decades.  They were great at platonic bed sharing.  She honestly couldn’t remember the last time they’d had sex.  It had literally been years.  

Steve put his foot down and stopped having sex with her when she was drunk.  And she was always drunk.  So they never had sex.

Peggy knew that Steve hadn’t had any affairs.  It wasn’t how he was wired.  Which wasn’t to say he wasn’t capable of moving on.  He was.  Now, more than ever.  She knew that if she relapsed, that was it.  Something had changed in him.  She wasn’t going to get another chance.  Not with him, and not with Annie.  But Steve wasn’t looking for companionship outside of their marriage.  Not yet.

It made Peggy feel worse about her own affairs.  She hadn’t even enjoyed the sex.  She enjoyed hurting herself, and Steve.  She enjoyed losing herself in the moment.  But the sex, overall, was terrible.  Even drunk, she knew that.  

It was a good thing she hadn’t been having sex with Steve.  It was a minor miracle that the health screens showed that she hadn’t caught anything that wasn’t treatable.  

Not that her suitability as a sexual partner for Steve would matter.  Especially not tonight.  Steve was staying with her because she asked him to.  Though she figured it was mostly because he was incredibly cheap and didn’t want to pay for a motel room.  It wasn’t like there would be any seduction this evening.  She doubted that was even possible.  She had no idea what he saw when he looked at her now.  She didn’t want to know.

 

* * *

 

Steve arrived half an hour before the session was supposed to start.  He hugged Peggy tightly and released her.  They stood around, making awkward chitchat.  Peggy asked about Annie’s classes, which apparently weren’t going particularly well, and hadn’t been for a long time.  Peggy hadn’t known that.

Eventually it was time and they walked to Donna’s office.  They took their same seats on the couch.  

“Steve, thank you for being here,” Donna said.  Steve nodded.  “Is it easy for you to get away?”

He shrugged.  “I make the time.”

“That’s not really an answer, though, is it?” Donna pressed.  “It’s the middle of the week.  You have responsibilities, a child at home.  It’s not easy, is it?”

“No,” he admitted.

“Why don’t you say that?”

He shrugged again.  “Because whether or not it’s easy has never mattered.  So what’s the point in mentioning it?  It doesn’t seem to have any bearing on what she does.”

Peggy lit a cigarette.

“And what do you think about that, Margaret?” Donna asked.

“I think I’ve been a shitty mother and a shitty wife,” she said dryly.  “That’s not exactly news.”

Donna took a deep breath, seeming to consider her words.  “I’ve seen people in all stages of this disease, Margaret.  And you can often tell where they are by the family.  You’ve seen the group sessions.  The parents with their teenage son, the new bride so eager for her husband to recover.”  Donna paused.  “Take a look at your family, Margaret.  Steve and Annie aren’t in denial about how severe your illness is.  They aren’t bargaining with it, or with you.  They’re resigned.  They’re very close to accepting that they’ve lost you to this disease.”

Peggy rubbed her temple.

“Margaret?”

“What?” Peggy said wearily.  “Are you asking if I heard him?  I did.”

“Steve,” Donna said, “have you and Annie discussed what happens when Margaret finishes treatment?”

He nodded, lips pursed together.  “Annie are going to sell the house.  We’ve found another we like.  Same neighborhood.  Same school district.  A couple of blocks over.”  

“No,” Peggy snapped.  It was a knee jerk reaction.  “That’s the house I brought my babies home to.”  

Steve nodded and looked over at her.  He looked so tired.  “It’s also the house you almost burned down on three separate occasions when you passed out with a lit cigarette.  It’s the house where Annie’s eighth birthday party sleepover was interrupted when the cops showed up to arrest you for sideswiping a car.  It’s the house where I caught you sucking off the college kid who mows our lawn.”

Peggy blinked quickly and looked away.

“Annie and I need a fresh start, Peg.  We’re not asking you.  We’re telling you what we’re doing.”

“You can’t do that.  It’s my house too.”

“I can,” Steve said wearily.  “The mortgage is in my name.  And I’m the only one with any income. Your parents cut you off years ago.  We’re listing it next week.”

She pushed herself off the couch.  “So, I don’t get any say at all.”

Steve met her gaze evenly.  “You had your say.  You’ve had ten years of having things your way.  It’s why we’re moving.”

“This is bullshit,” Peggy snapped, storming out of the room.

 

* * *

 

Several minutes later, Peggy was standing in the garden, leaning against a small rock wall, smoking.  Donna looked at her and started toward her, but Steve caught Donna’s elbow.  They spoke quietly for a moment and Donna turned, going back to the building.

Slowly, Steve approached Peggy.  He crowded her, invading her personal space, pinning her against the low wall.  She stubbed the cigarette out and tossed it away.  Sighing, she leaned against him, wrapping her arms around his waist.  

“We’re not moving until you get back.  If it’s easier for you to pack up John’s room, we can wait on that.  But we’re moving.  End of story.”

She dug her fingers into the small of his back, but he didn’t acknowledge it at all.  Despite her wishes, she knew she wasn’t hurting him.  Physically.  

She turned her face into his chest and sobbed, in a way she didn’t think she had ever sobbed, her entire body shaking with it.  One of Steve’s arms wrapped around her, holding her close, the other hand threaded through her hair, cupping the back of her head.

She finally pulled back and he kissed her temple, her cheek, finally her mouth.  Her breath caught and she reached up, cupping his face in her hands.

He broke the kiss, but pressed his forehead to hers.  “I love you, Peg,” he said hoarsely.

 

* * *

 

They returned to Donna’s office.  Steve held Peggy’s hand and when he sat down on the couch, he tucked her against his side.  Donna looked at them, but didn’t comment on the change.  She took her pen out and leaned forward in her chair, saying, “I would like to talk about the accident where your son was killed.”

Steve’s arm immediately tightened around Peggy.

“Can you tell me what happened?” Donna asked.

Peggy remained silent.  Steve looked over at her, but she didn’t say anything.

“There was a baseball game,” Steve said.  “Something we did twice a week.  Peggy had John and one of his friends in the car.  I had Annie and two of her friends in my truck.  There was a blind curve, an oncoming car crossed the line and hit Peg head on.  We came up on them maybe half an hour minutes after the crash.  The ambulances were there, and several other cars had stopped.”

Peggy swallowed thickly, staring blindly at the far wall.

“Had Margaret been drinking?”

“No,” Steve said immediately.  “She didn’t drink at that point.  I mean, maybe a glass of wine or a gin and tonic when we went out, which wasn’t often.  It was the other driver’s fault.  He died in the wreck.”

Peggy wiped impatiently at the tears on her cheeks.

“Margaret,” Donna asked, “do you remember what happened?”

Peggy looked at the ceiling, blinking quickly.  “Bits and pieces,” she said.  “I remember Steve pulling John out of the wreckage.  The emergency crews had been trying to get him out, but they couldn’t.  But Steve did.  He tore the frame apart with his bare hands.  I remember his face, him holding John.”  She shook her head and pursed her lips together.

“She was barely conscious,” Steve said quietly.  “But she told me to go with John in the ambulance.  I had no idea, when I left, if she would make it or not.”  He took a deep breath.  “John didn’t make it to the hospital.  The, uh, paramedics tried everything.  But it was too much for him.  He was so small.”

“Where was Annie during all of this?” Donna asked.

“With family friends,” Steve said.  “Ana and Edwin Jarvis.  They took Annie and her friends home.  The friends’ parents picked them up.  The Jarvises stayed with Annie at the house, for days.  They were a real anchor for us.  They’ve been there through the years.”

“And you, Steve?” Donna asked.  “What did you do?  You were with John in the ambulance.  But he didn’t make it.”

Steve shrugged.  “I, uh ... waited,” he said quietly.  “Waited for the ambulance with Peggy to arrive.”

“And you didn’t know, at that point, if she was alive or dead.”

He shook his head.  “No.  I didn’t know.”  He took a deep breath.  “But the ambulance arrived and she was hanging in there.  It was really bad.  They took her straight into surgery.  It was hours before I could see her.  So I went home and talked to Annie.  And started making arrangements for the funeral.”  He cleared his throat.  “It was a couple days before Peggy was recovered enough for me to tell her about John.  We’d already had the funeral.”

“That’s a lot, Steve,” Donna said.  “Any one piece of that would be a lot for someone to take, but you had to shoulder so much of it.”

He shrugged.  “What else was I going to do?  It was my family.”

Donna didn’t say anything, but she took a note.  “When did Peggy come home?”

Steve sighed.  “It was probably eight weeks.  She was in the hospital for a long time, and then there was a lot of physical rehabilitation.”

“Was she compliant with the physical rehabilitation?”

Steve laughed sharply.  “No.”  He shook his head.  “No, she wasn’t.”

“Do you feel like Margaret ever dealt with John’s death?”

Steve tightened his grip on her and shrugged.  “I don’t know what to say to that.  I don’t feel like  _ I  _ ever dealt with it.  I sure as hell didn’t get over it.  He was my son and he’s gone.  And I will never be okay with that.  I don’t expect her to miraculously move past it.”

“I’m not talking about miraculously moving past it,” Donna said gently.  “I’m talking about finding a way to live with it so that she’s not pursuing this self-destructive spiral day after day.”

He shrugged and fell silent.

They finished the session, but, afterward, Peggy couldn’t really remember what was said.  It was late when they finished.  She and Steve went to the cafeteria and grabbed sandwiches and coffee.  Then they went to the room.

Peggy was already in bed when Steve joined her.  He lay there, on his back, staring at the ceiling.  He stretched his arm out toward her and she curled against his side.  She felt his fingers tracing idle patterns on her back until she fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

There was a little graduation ceremony and Peggy hated every bit of it.  Steve and Annie were both there.  Peggy sat in the backseat on the way home.  Annie had forbidden her smoking and she was in an awful mood.

Once they got home, Steve and Annie went inside.  Peggy stood on the driveway, smoking.  Their next door neighbor, Mr. Hobbs waved at her.  She flipped him the bird and stubbed out her cigarette going inside.

“That wasn’t a very nice thing for you to do to Hobbs,” Steve said.

“He’s a nosy old bastard,” Peggy replied sourly.

“Yeah,” Steve said.  “He is.”

A lot of the house had already been boxed up.  Peggy noticed the bed from the master bedroom and Steve’s recliner were missing.  She looked at him and he met her gaze flatly.  “I got rid of them.”

She nodded without saying anything.  She walked down the hall to John’s room.  The door was open and Annie was inside, taking things off the walls and carefully putting them in boxes.  Peggy walked into the room and sat down heavily on the bed.  It was a small bed.  A twin.  John would forever be a little boy.  It was hard to imagine that if he’d lived, he would be twenty, away at school.  He probably would have been bigger than Steve.  That’s what the pediatrician had said.  She took the pillow off his bed and hugged it to her chest. 

“Mom?” Annie said.

Peggy looked at her, giving her a watery smile.  “Maybe you and your dad could walk me by the new house after a bit.”

Annie nodded.  “Yeah.”

 

* * *

 

The new house was smaller, and newer, than their old house.  All of the carpets had been replaced.  Peggy wasn’t allowed to smoke inside at all.  

There were three bedrooms.  Steve would get the master, with the new bed, and en suite bathroom.  Annie took the largest room, which was in the basement, and had a door that led out into the backyard.  There was a full bathroom in the basement.  Peggy was left with the other upstairs bedroom.  No one was calling it the guest room, and no one was calling it Peggy’s room.  The main upstairs bathroom was just off the second bedroom, and Peggy would use it.

She had no idea if she was ever going to be welcome in Steve’s bed again.  She wasn’t clear on whether she needed an invitation, or if she should just make herself at home.  She didn’t know what she wanted, and she suspected he didn’t know either.  He hadn’t filed for divorce, hadn’t even mentioned it.  

For now, they were roommates.  And parents.

Annie had warmed up to Peggy somewhat, but it was clear to Peggy that she had a long way to go to earn back Annie’s trust.  The following week, Peggy got some interesting looks at Annie’s softball game, but she toughed it out because she knew she had to.  Steve did his part, sitting right next to her, making it clear that they were there together.

“It’ll get easier,” Steve said quietly.

Peggy nodded.

It didn’t get easier, per se.  She felt like mostly she stopped caring so much what other people thought.  Annie wanted her there, so she was there.  That was really the meat of it.

 

* * *

 

“Why are we doing this?” Peggy snapped.  She hadn’t had a cigarette all day.

Steve didn’t even bother looking at her as he carted items out of the small garden shed; saw horses, a toolbox, boxes of assorted items he insisted on moving from the old house.  “Because it needs to be done.  That deck is falling apart.  It needs to be replaced.”

Peggy looked at the deck.  It was for the upper level and opened off the living room.  Underneath the deck was a worn concrete slab with another door that led into the basement.  “There are people who build decks for a living, you know?”

“Yeah,” he said with a smile.  “You and me.”

Peggy glowered, but he ignored her.  Finally, he headed toward the deck with the drill and crowbar in hand.  Reluctantly, Peggy helped him unscrew boards, prying them up when they wouldn’t cooperate.  Ever fiscally minded, Steve was salvaging as much of the decking material as he could, to avoid having to buy more.  However, many sections of the decking, and all of the supports, were rotten.

By the time they finished pulling the damn deck apart, Peggy was drenched in sweat and shaking.  Steve looked over at her and frowned.  “Let’s take a break.”

Peggy sat at the weathered picnic table as he went inside.  He returned with glasses of water and a couple pieces of fruit.  He, of course, looked none the worse for the wear.  His clothes were dirty, but he’d barely broken a sweat.

“You’re out of shape,” he said, handing her an orange.

“Lovely of you to notice,” she replied sourly.

He nodded, biting into an apple.  “We’re going to improve our physical fitness.  Together.  This time you don’t get to ride in the Jeep.”

She wanted to argue with him, she really did.  But she knew he had a point.  Also, she was desperate for anything to fill her time with, so she didn’t have to sit in that house wondering how she’d managed to screw everyone’s lives up so badly.

After the break, they sorted the materials into items to be reused, and things that needed to go to the landfill.  Then she helped Steve load debris into the back of his ratty old truck.  It took three trips to get it all.  By the time they were finally done, Annie was up.  She was definitely keeping teenage hours, more than content to sleep half the day away.  Peggy wondered how long she had been like that.  She truly didn’t know.

School would be starting again in a couple of weeks.  Annie would be a junior.  It blew Peggy’s mind that her baby was growing up so fast.  She’d missed so much.

If Annie had wondered where they’d been, she didn’t ask.  Peggy had no idea if she’d noticed the deck was gone.  Inside the house, Steve drove a screw through the sliding glass door in the living room, to prevent anyone from opening it until the deck was replaced.   Then she and Steve both took showers.  Separately.

While Steve was still showering, Peggy made sandwiches for lunch.  Annie snagged a couple and retreated to the basement.  Peggy and Steve at at the table.  Peggy was exhausted.  And sore.  Though she knew it would be worse tomorrow.

After lunch, Steve sketched designs on paper.  When he was satisfied, he recruited Peggy to help him measure and stake off areas of the backyard.  Then they climbed into the truck again and went to the lumber yard.  Peggy mostly watched as Steve negotiated with the sales manager.  She found it ridiculous, and only slightly adorable.  Steve usually shied away from his Captain America image as much as he could.  At least until he thought it might save him twenty percent on a load of lumber and supplies.

Satisfied that he’d gotten a good deal, Steve shook the sales manager’s hand.  The materials would be delivered tomorrow.  Steve and Peggy headed home.

“Shouldn’t you be working?” she asked, looking over at him.

He shrugged.  “I’m between contracts.”

She suspected there was more to it than that, but she didn’t pry.  Steve was retired from the military, and had been for some time.  But he still did a decent amount of contracting, both for the government, and Stark Industries.

They ordered pizza for dinner and Annie appeared long enough to run off with half the pie, before disappearing again.  Peggy and Steve were watching a show on TV.  Peggy woke in the wee hours of the morning, laying on top of the bed in the room she was using.  She must have fallen asleep and Steve carried her up.  He’d removed her shoes and covered her with a blanket.

 

* * *

 

Peggy groaned as she stretched.  She was so sore from the previous day.  To add insult to injury, Steve was doing pushups in the driveway - to kill time as he waited on her.  It was criminal that he was still in phenomenal shape at his age.

They started out at a very sedate jog.  As if yesterday’s decking adventures hadn’t already given her insight into how out of shape she was, the easy jog sure did.  She was winded by the time they made it to the end of the block.  When she was forced to slow to a walk, Steve didn’t say anything, falling into step at her side.  She knew that she was every bit as bad as he’d been his first day at Camp Lehigh.

In the end, it took an absurdly long amount of time to go a relatively short distance.  Unfortunately, there was no flag for Peggy to capture in exchange for a ride home.

Being so out of shape was discouraging.  But Steve, whether by design or not, didn’t give her much time to dwell on that fact.  He immediately put her to work helping him pour concrete footings for the deck.  By the time they were done with that, the delivery from the lumber yard had arrived.  Steve wasted no time in getting started with the rest of the project.

Eventually, even Steve’s superhuman strength couldn’t make up for the fact that he needed more hands.  He called Dugan, and the three of them managed to get the supports in place.  It had been quite a while since Peggy had last seen Dugan and she was surprised at how good it was to see his ugly mug.  Before he left, he pulled her in for a tight hug which she desperately needed.

 

* * *

 

Steve and Peggy watched Annie climb into the car with her friend, Sue.  As they drove toward school, Steve and Peggy started jogging.  After a couple of weeks, it was getting easier.  Peggy also knew it helped that she had pretty much quit smoking. Though she hated everyone and everything.

The deck was done and now they were on to making changes inside.  They painted the living room yesterday.  Today it was the kitchen.

When they got back to the house, Peggy had to climb up on the sink to try and get the window open for ventilation.  The previous owners had painted it closed.  Frustrated, she was trying to jimmy the frame back and forth.  She turned, intending to call for Steve, to ask him to bring her a box cutter to cut the paint.

But as she turned, she realized he was standing right behind her, watching with obvious interest.  She realized her position, kneeling on the edge of the sink, with her ass sticking out and her back arched, was unintentionally provocative.  She expected him to look away in irritation.  That had been his play for the last several years.  But, instead, he met her gaze and held it.

“I, uh, need a box cutter,” she said, hating how breathy her voice sounded.

He finally nodded and turned away, walking into the living room to rummage through the toolbox.  He returned with the box cutter, holding it out to her.  Again, he met her gaze and held it.  Peggy knew she was blushing, but she took the blade and cut through the paint.  

She tried to get down from the sink in a titillating manner, but there was no way.  She felt like a crab scrambling off a rock.  But the window was open now.  She handed the knife back to Steve.

They spent the day moving drop cloths and ladders.  It was stifling, even with the windows open.  But Peggy kept catching Steve looking at her.  And she did her own share of looking as well.  She knew her husband was a handsome man.  But she’d spent a lot of time over the last several years trying not to notice.  She was done trying to ignore his appeal.

 

* * *

 

It took them two days to finish with the kitchen.  And then they moved to the dining room.  They were taking a break, having a sandwiches again, when Steve said, “I think we should see John’s grave.”

It was on the tip of Peggy’s tongue to refuse, but she bit it back.  She’d never been.  Not once.  Her baby boy was in the ground.  And she’d never gone to see him.  She nodded.  “I need to shower first.”

Steve watched her.  “It won’t matter to him.”

“No,” she said, rising to her feet.  “But it matters to me.”

 

* * *

 

Standing under the spray in the shower, Peggy couldn’t remember the last time she wanted a drink so badly.  She knew it was completely cliche.  But she didn’t give a fuck.  If she was going to go visit her little boy’s grave, she wanted to be bombed out of her mind.

But it wasn’t an option.  There wasn’t any alcohol in the house.  And Steve had kept her so busy from dawn to dusk every day that she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to sneak out and get some, even if she’d wanted to.

She understood that this was the price she had to pay for a decade of fucking up.  But she hated it so much.

 

* * *

 

There was a breeze, when she climbed out of the car.  She was glad of that.  She hadn’t been to the cemetery since before the accident.  It looked largely the same.   She’d attended several funerals here over the years.  The trees were bigger, providing plenty of shade.  

Steve threaded his fingers through hers and led the way.  Peggy didn’t even know where John was buried.  She hadn’t wanted to know.  Like somehow that would stop it from being real.  But it was real.

The grave was on a little hill, shaded, some distance from the other groups of family plots.  The stone was simple, but weathered.  Somehow that surprised her.  It had been ten years, but she hadn’t expected it to look so old.

She and Steve didn’t do anything, didn’t say anything.  They just stood there.  Finally, Steve said, “Are you ready to go?”

She shook her head.  “Let me have a little time alone.”

He nodded and went back to the car, leaning against the side, waiting.

Peggy stared down at the grave.  “Goodbye, my darling,” she whispered.

 

* * *

 

“How was it?”

“How the fuck do you think it was?” Peggy snapped.

Adam, her counselor, looked at her placidly.  Peggy had grudgingly agreed to see someone after she was released from treatment.  Adam was an addiction specialist, but he was continually digging into every bit of her life and she despised him.  

He made a note in his notebook.  “What did Annie think?”

Peggy shrugged.  “I don’t know.”

“Did you tell her you went?”

Peggy shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Why not?”

“Because Annie and I don’t speak,” she said flatly.  “Steve mentioned it to her.”

“And is that Steve’s role?” he asked.  “Playing go-between for you and Annie?”

She shrugged again.

“She’s your daughter.”

“Yes, well, she’s made it clear she doesn’t care much for my mothering.”

Adam seemed surprised.  “And you let that stop you?”

 

* * *

 

Peggy knocked on the door.  No answer.  She knocked again.

“Go away.”

She sighed.  “It’s your mother.”

The volume on the radio decreased and the door was pulled open.  Annie looked at her.  “What?”

Peggy forced a smile.  “I thought maybe we could take a walk.  You could tell me about your day.”

Annie’s face was impassive, but she finally shook her head.  “I have a load of homework to do.”

“A short walk?” Peggy pushed.

Annie sighed.  “Look, Mom, it’s due tomorrow.”

Peggy held up her hand.  “Okay.  Maybe later.”

Annie closed the door again.

 

* * *

 

“She hates me.”  Peggy and Steve were sitting on the deck, ostensibly watching the sunset.  But mostly spying on the neighbors.  Mr. Peterson appeared to be losing his running war with the squirrels.

“She’s sixteen,” Steve said, unconcerned, “she hates everyone.”

Peggy frowned, but didn’t actually fault his logic.

“What did your counselor say?”

“That I should parent her whether she wants it or not.  But I don’t think he has children.”  She looked over at Steve.  “What do you think of that?”

He shrugged.  “Just don’t take it personally if she’s awful.  I’ve been assured she’ll grow out of it.  Eventually.”

Peggy considered her words carefully.  “So you don’t have a problem with me stepping back in?”

He looked over at her, his expression unreadable.  He sighed.  “The only issue I ever had was with you removing yourself from the equation.  We want you, Peggy.  We need you.  Both of us.”  He reached out and offered her his hand.  

Gratefully, Peggy took it.

 

* * *

 

“Annie,” Steve yelled down the stairs, when they came back in the house, “put your stuff by the door.”

The reply was muffled, but Peggy could hear her.  “I’ll do it tomorrow.”

“Now,” Steve replied.  “You know the rules.”

Peggy watched as Annie stomped up the stairs and threw her school bag down next to the front door.  Then she stalked back down the stairs, slamming the basement door behind herself.  Peggy looked at Steve.  “You say she’ll grow out of it.”

“God, I hope so,” he said meaningfully.

 

* * *

 

Steve and Peggy milled around the kitchen, putting things away, talking. When they were finished, Peggy turned off the light.  She glanced over at Steve to see if he was following her into the living room, but he just stood in the darkened kitchen, watching her.  “What?”

He shrugged and held out his hand.

Cautiously, she took it and let him pull her close.  She looked up at him and he met her gaze.  She was pressed against him, chest to chest.  His arm was around her waist.

“I missed you,” he said quietly.

She nodded, unable to speak.  He ducked his head and she reached up, cupping the side of his face.  For a long moment, they simply looked at each other.  Then he leaning in, kissing her softly.  

She sucked in a sharp breath, overwhelmed.  God, how long had it been since they touched each other like this?  She parted her lips and he immediately deepened the kiss.  She groaned, winding her arm around his neck, drawing him closer.  With deliberate slowness, he backed her against the counter.  He pressed against her as his hands roamed languidly up and down her sides.  The kisses grew more insistent, their breaths coming faster.  One of his hands cupped her breast and she hitched her leg around his hip.

The kitchen light flicked on.

“Oh, Jesus,” Annie yelped, covering her eyes with her hands.  “ _ What are you two doing _ ?”

“What do you think we’re doing,” Steve responded dryly.

“People make food in here,” Annie said, disgusted.  She made a gagging noise and darted out of the room.  Peggy heard the basement door slam.

Regardless of how nice the moment had been, it was effectively dead.  Peggy put her feet back on the floor and reluctantly pushed Steve away.  

He was grumbling.  “Kid hasn’t voluntarily been out of the basement for days and she picks  _ now.” _

Peggy laughed and patted him on the shoulder.  She walked out of the kitchen and across the living room to the office.  Steve joined her a couple of minutes later.  

They went through bills.  It was part of the plan to bring Peggy back into the family again.  For years, she’d let Steve worry about all of this.  While it had obviously been the right decision at the time, it wasn’t a  _ good _ decision.  Steve had many skills.  Accounting was not one of them.  For someone as cheap as him, it was astounding how bad he was at keeping track of finances.

Peggy groaned as she sorted through yet another pile of papers.

“Problem?” Steve baited.

Peggy just smiled at him.  She knew he was waiting for her to complain about his abysmal record keeping.  But she held her tongue.  It wouldn’t change anything.  And it wouldn’t help anything.  But, by God, he was never allowed near the books again.  It was going to take her weeks to sort this all out.

 

* * *

 

“I have that meeting tomorrow morning with Morales,” Steve said, pulling Peggy from her thoughts.

She looked up at him.  He looked exhausted.  She glanced at her watch.  She’d been sorting through paperwork for hours.  It was after midnight.  “Of course,” she said, nodding.  She looked at the desk.  “I still need to finish up some of this before I forget where I am.”

He nodded and looked at her, lips pursed together.  He braced his hands on the edge of the desk and leaned over, giving her a gentle kiss.

She looked up at him.  “Goodnight, Steve.  Sleep well.”

 

* * *

 

Steve was up and gone by the time Peggy made coffee.  She ended up driving Annie to school when her ride didn’t show up.  The conversation was civil.  And mostly reciprocal.

It was evening by the time Steve was home.  He walked into the office where Peggy was still working on bills.  “You want me to make something?” he asked.

She smiled at him.  “Actually, I talked to Annie and I think we’re going to go out.”

Steve looked surprised, but he nodded and went to change clothes.

They went to a mexican restaurant with excellent tamales, and free chips and salsa.  The food was good.  And Annie was surprisingly communicative.  She said her classes were going well.  

“What about you?” Peggy asked, turning to Steve.  “How was your meeting?”

He shrugged.  “They want me for a long term contract, but I don’t know if I’m interested or not.”

Peggy nodded, pursing her lips together.  She understood why he was unsure.  She suspected he didn’t trust her recovery - or her.  He was hesitant to take a job that would take him away from Annie for any length of time.  She couldn’t fault him.

When they got home, Peggy went back to the office.  It was after midnight again when Steve stopped in.  “Are you heading to bed any time soon?” he asked.

She held up the papers.  “I’m in the middle of something.”

He nodded.  “Okay.  Good night.”

 

* * *

 

Peggy looked up as Steve walked into the kitchen the next morning.  He was dressed in a pair of worn trousers and an old Army issued t-shirt.  It was clear he didn’t have plans for the day. She frowned.  “I thought you had another meeting.”

He just looked at her, reaching behind her into the cabinet to get a coffee cup.  She would have gladly moved out of the way but he crowded her, reaching around her for the carafe, pouring himself a cup.  He finally backed up.  He took a drink.  “No,” he said.  “Meeting was canceled.”

She watched him over the rim of her cup as she took another drink.  “By you?”

He was spared having to answer by Annie bounding up the stairs and slamming the basement door. “Mom!  It’s Friday.  I have early choir practice.  I need a ride.”

Peggy took the opportunity to slip past Steve.

 

* * *

 

Peggy wasn’t being overly quiet when she closed the front door.  But there was no need to slam it.  And if she walked lightly toward the office, it was simply how she carried herself.  

She’d been sitting at the desk for nearly an hour when Steve came to stand in the doorway, frowning at her.  “You’re avoiding me.”

She looked up at him.  “I’m balancing the accounts.”

“I thought we were supposed to work on our communication,” he said pointedly.

She sighed, pushing her chair back from the desk and standing up.  She walked to the side of the desk closest to him and leaned back against it, watching him.  “You’re right.  We are.  So for the sake of honesty, why did you cancel your meeting?  And why don’t you want to take a contract?”

He watched her, his eyes narrowing.  “You trying to get rid of me?”

She took a deep breath and crossed her arms over to chest.  “No,” she said.  “But I feel like you’re afraid to leave me alone.”  She hated the way her eyes were burning.  “Like you think I’ll screw up if you let me out of your sight for a couple of days.”

He sighed and seemed to deflate, screwing his eyes shut.  He shook his head, and then opened his eyes and looked at her.  “That’s not it,” he said vehemently.

“Then what?”

He closed the distance between them, looking down at her.  “I miss you,” he said quietly.  He took a deep breath.  “It’s been ... _ lonely _ , the last couple of years.  I like having my partner back.  I don’t want to walk away from that right now.”

She blinked up at him, fighting back tears.  “Oh.”

He reached out, touching her hip lightly.  He leaned in, but she turned her head.  She could feel his breath, hot against her temple.  She could feel his lips move as he spoke.  “You’re avoiding me.”

“Not ... avoiding,” she said, trying to ignore the way her heart was pounding.  She uncrossed her arms and set her hands on his biceps.  Which was a mistake.  God, he felt good.  She licked her lips.  “It’s just, it’s been a long time.”

His hands tightened on her hips, kneading her flesh.  “I know,” he said in a near growl.

She looked up at him.  The second she pressed up on tiptoe to kiss him, he was on her.  His mouth was hard and hot, almost punishing.  But when she made a sound of discomfort, he immediately backed off.  His kisses gentled, his touches were softer.

She wanted him.  Fuck, she wanted him.  But she hadn’t been lying.  It had been a long time.  A long time since they’d been together like this.  Even longer since they’d been together while she was sober.  And not just sober, but in the office, in the middle of the day.  It was pretty far outside her comfort zone.

Steve was careful, but determined.  It was clear that he had plans for the both of them.  He shoved Peggy’s painstakingly organized piles of paper onto the floor, and laid her back on the desk.  She wasn’t exactly dressed for seduction in a knee length cotton skirt and a twill camp shirt.  Steve didn’t seem to care.  He crawled on top of the desk too, crouched over her.  Her hands immediately went to work, tugging his t-shirt up and urging it over his head.  He eagerly shrugged out of it.

Peggy ran her hands over his chest, groaning.  God, she loved his body.  He was still the most attractive man she’d ever seen.  She scraped her nails up his back, causing him to bite down on her bottom lip.  “Is that good, or bad?” she managed.

He nodded.  “Good.”  He kissed her lips, and then along her jaw.  He tugged at her shirt until it opened, sending several buttons ricocheting around the room.  And then he was nipping at the exposed flesh of her chest, while one of his hands cupped her breast through her bra.

Peggy screwed her eyes shut and just gave over to all of it.  She wanted him.  He wanted her.  She was finished overthinking it.  Her fingers found the fastenings of his trousers and she worked the material free, then shoved it down, trying to work it over his hips.  Steve returned the favor, skimming his hand up her leg, under her skirt and pulling her panties down.  He tugged at the cups of her bra, not bothering to undo the closure, just forcing the material down until her breasts were exposed.  He sealed his lips around her nipple and lowered his body against hers.

She rolled her hips and wrapped her legs around his waist, groaning as he slid into her, torturously slow.  They didn’t have to worry about birth control.  Peggy had her tubes tied after Annie was born.  It was all for the best, because if they’d had to stop, they wouldn’t have.

Steve groaned her name, biting down gently on her nipple.  She gasped, digging her nails deeper into his back.  She’d forgotten - or blocked out - what it was like between them, when they were both present, and not lost to their demons.  They knew each other’s bodies so well.  And they wanted each other.

“Steve,” she hissed, screwing her eyes shut, urging him to move faster.

He obliged, shifting so he could brace all his weight on his left arm as he slipped his right hand between their bodies, stroking her.  She glanced up at him and he was watching her intently, his jaw tight.  She reached up and touched his face and he ducked his head, kissing her.

“Come for me, Peggy.”

Back arching, her mouth opened in a silent cry as her release rippled through her.  Steve groaned, burying his face against her neck, his body going taut above her.

Peggy lay there, trying to catch her breath, her fingers toying with the hair at the nape of Steve’s neck.  He eventually pushed himself up and looked down at her, his expression very satisfied.  She frowned at him.  “Go get me a towel.”

He gave her a hard kiss and then did as she asked.  Once she had herself mostly sorted, he tugged her through the house to the master bedroom, intent on making up for lost time.

 

* * *

 

Peggy and Steve spent a lazy, indulgent day in bed.  Though before Annie got home, they both managed to shower.  Peggy was making dinner when Annie finally came in the door.  They all ate together.  Annie disappeared as soon as the dishes had been cleared.

Steve and Peggy sat together on the couch, watching TV.  Peggy wasn’t paying much attention to the program and she knew Steve wasn’t either.  As Steve had said earlier, it was just nice having one another again.  Perhaps not as exciting as when their relationship was new, but there was definitely a novelty to touching each other, to spending time together.  Peggy had missed him so much.

* * *

 

Steve woke with a start, sitting up in bed.  He could see the flashing red and blue lights through the bedroom curtain.  He glanced at the bedside clock.  It was after two in the morning.  He looked down at Peggy’s side of the bed, pillow and covers in disarray.  But she wasn’t there.

How many times had this happened over the years?  How many times had he woken in the middle of the night to find her gone?  He looked at the lights again, pushing away the worry and fear and anger he felt.  He threw on a shirt and pants and headed for the door.

The front door was open and Peggy was standing there with a police officer.  But Steve stopped.  

This wasn’t like before.  

Peggy was standing inside the house, wrapped in a robe, her feet bare.  She was holding the door open, speaking with the officer.  She turned, looking at Steve, her lips pursed together in a frown.  Cautiously, Steve went to her side.

He stood there, watching, as a second officer helped Annie out of the back of the car.  She wouldn’t look at either him or Peggy as the officers escorted her inside.  Steve caught up quickly.  The officers had been called to break up a party.  A bunch of high school kids.  They knew who Annie Rogers’ dad was, so they brought her home.  As a courtesy.  Off the record.

Steve thanked the officers and saw them out.  He finally closed the door and turned to face Annie.  She was sitting on the couch in the living room, staring at her feet.  Steve could smell the beer from where he was.  He just shook his head.  “You snuck out?”

Annie didn’t say anything.

Steve opened his mouth to yell.  Yell, what, he didn’t know.  But he was angry, livid.

Peggy set a hand on his arm.  “Why don’t you go downstairs and lock the door.  Annie can stay upstairs until we get this sorted out.”

Shaking his head in irritation, Steve headed for the basement.  He hadn’t been down here since shortly after they moved in and he was unimpressed to see what Annie had done with the space.  It was a mess.  And sure enough, the back door was unlocked.  He grabbed a couple of tools and screwed the door shut.  Annie would have to break a window to sneak out now.

He went upstairs and he could hear Annie and Peggy in the guest bathroom, speaking.  He tried not to eavesdrop. He could tell Annie was crying.

This was just fucking unbelievable.  After everything they went through with Peggy, and they had just barely got their family back on track and now Annie pulled this shit.  She’d always been such a good kid.

Steve paced around the house, muttering to himself.  When he finally ventured down the hall toward the bedrooms, he saw that Annie was tucked into bed in the room that Peggy had been using.  Peggy was curled up with her, stroking her hair.

Steve went to bed, trying vainly to fall asleep.   It was at least an hour before Peggy finally came to bed.

“Well?” he demanded.

Peggy shook her head.  “She’s a kid, Steve.  She did something stupid.  She’s entitled to make a few mistakes.”

“A few mistakes,” Steve said incredulously.  “Are you fucking kidding me?  The cops just brought her home, stinking of booze, in the middle of the night.”

“Yeah,” Peggy said quietly. “Just like me.”

Steve groaned.  “Peg, that’s not what I meant.”

“Look,” she said, “let’s just go to sleep.  We can talk about it in the morning.”

 

* * *

 

Peggy was in the kitchen, drinking coffee when Steve joined her.  She looked tired, but good.  Overall, she looked so much better than she had in years.  Her color was good, her eyes were clear.  She looked like a million bucks.

But she was upset.

“How is she?” he asked carefully.

She shrugged.  “Sick, which is to be expected.”

Steve shook his head and poured himself a cup of coffee.  “I can’t believe she did this after everything we’ve been through.”

Peggy set down her coffee cup and wrapped her arms around herself.  “She’s a kid, Steve.  She’s had to be very mature for her age for a very long time.”  She swallowed harshly.  “Because of me.”

He shook his head.  “You didn’t do this, Peggy.  She did.  And she knows better.”

“You’re right, Annie did this.  But I certainly set the precedent.”

He forced himself to consider his words.  “I appreciate you taking responsibility.  But Annie has been through this.  She knows how hard this kind of stuff is on the family.  And she chose to do it.”

Peggy nodded.  “It’s terrifying.  But she needs space to make mistakes, Steve.  We can’t force her into this corner where she has to be perfect all the time.”

He watched Peggy for a long moment.  “Is that what it was like for you?”

She flinched, like she’d been hit, and her expression shuttered.  “We’re talking about Annie.”

He sighed.  “Yeah.  I know.”

 

* * *

 

“I don’t care what your mother said,” Steve yelled, “you are grounded for a month.”

Annie’s face was contorted with rage and she opened her mouth to yell back, but Peggy stepped between the two of them.  She put a hand on Annie’s arm and gave her a look, pleading for silence.

“Steve,” Peggy said with forced calm, “can you please go see Howard for an hour or two?”

“Why would I want - “

“ _ Please _ ,” Peggy said.

Steve reluctantly left, and Annie burst into tears, sobbing theatrically.  Peggy hugged her and managed not to roll her eyes.

“It’s not fair,” Annie cried.

“I know,” Peggy said.  And she did.  She knew that for the better part of a decade, she’d been an absolute screw up with few consequences.  But Peggy also knew that Steve was right.  Annie knew better.  And while Peggy knew that Annie needed to test her bounds, she also knew that Annie needed to be reassured that there were firm boundaries.

After tears were dried, Peggy and Annie went into the basement and started packing up Annie’s things, to move them into the bedroom upstairs.  “Are you going to stay down here?” Annie asked.

Peggy took a deep breath and shook her head.  “No.”

Annie gave her a long look.  “So you and Dad are back together then?”

Peggy crossed her arms over her chest.  “We were never apart.  Not really.  But to answer your question, yes.  I’m moving back into the master bedroom.”

Annie didn’t say anything and Peggy truthfully didn’t know what she thought of that development.

It took several trips, but they had most of Annie’s things moved into the upstairs bedroom.  Peggy didn’t know if Annie being in that room was going to be a permanent arrangement, or just until Steve cooled off.  Once Annie was settled, she barricaded herself in the room.  

Peggy let her be, retreating to the master bedroom with a book.  She’d been reading for nearly an hour when Steve finally came home.  He looked at Peggy and then back to the closed bedroom door across the hall.

“I thought it best if she moved upstairs where she can’t sneak out,” Peggy said.  She knew Steve would be on full watchdog duty for weeks.

Steve grunted.  He shut the bedroom door and proceeded to pull off his clothes, leaving them scattered on the bedroom floor before heading for the shower.  Peggy was still reading when he walked out of the bathroom without a stitch.  He climbed into bed, lying on his side next to her, his hand stroking her arm as she read.

Peggy had no trouble figuring out what he wanted.  She set the book down and turned off the light.  He was pulling her close before she’d even managed to roll over.  He didn’t say much, but he didn’t need to.  Peggy could feel the tension in his body.  She knew how upset, how worried he was.  And angry.  There was definitely some of that.

She kissed him, and offered him all of the comfort and affection she had to give.  He was starved for it, greedy.  She met him easily, enthusiastically.  She wondered how long it had been since he last dared to let her know how much he needed her like this.  How long had it been since he trusted that she would reciprocate?

Afterward, he held her in the dark, his arm banded around her, anchoring her to him.

“I love you, Steve,” she whispered.

 

* * *

By the time Annie was off house arrest, they were all about to weep with relief.  Four weeks of forced family togetherness illustrated quite effectively just how solitary their lives had been the last couple of years.

But despite the unease it initially caused, they did discover that they enjoyed spending time together - within measure.  At the encouragement of Peggy’s counselor, Adam, they had all started seeing a family therapist together.  Once a week.  It wasn’t easy, but Peggy suspected it would be worth it.  They had all done so much damage, to themselves and one another, over the years.  It would be a long road to rebuild their bonds.

Annie’s first week of freedom was pretty sedate.  She did her homework without fights and was outside the school every day when Steve picked her up.  He continued to watch her like a hawk, but was unable to do so that Thursday.  He was with Howard, so Peggy collected Annie from school.  But by the time Peggy and Annie were back at the house, the phone was ringing.

Peggy answered it and listened intently to Ana.  “I’ll be there shortly.”

 

* * *

 

Peggy crosses her arms over her chest, frowning at Howard as they stood in the hospital hallway, outside Steve’s room.  “What happened?”

He gave her a tight smile and touched her lightly on the shoulder.  “Classified, Peg, you know that.  Can’t say.”  He gave her a grave, vaguely condescending look.  “But rest assured that Steve was injured serving his country.”

Peggy rolled her eyes and skirted past Howard into the hospital room.  Steve’s leg was in a cast, and elevated.  He was dead to the world, snoring loudly, but looked otherwise intact for someone who had been seriously injured only a few hours earlier.  Mr. Jarvis was standing at the end of the bed, frowning.

“What really happened?”

“Ah,” he said, considering his words.  “Captain Rogers was injured in the line of - “

“Spare me,” Peggy snapped.

Jarvis frowned, deflating.  “I believe Captain Rogers lost traction while attempting to navigate some uncontained petrochemical in one of Mr. Stark’s laboratories.”

Peggy blinked at him.  “Are you telling me that Steve slipped on some spilled oil and broke his leg in three places.”

Mr. Jarvis frowned.  “So it would seem.”

Peggy shook her head.  “I don’t understand.  He received the serum.”

Howard, having just entered the room, overheard the last exchange and smiled, clapping her on the shoulder.  “Correct, Peg.  And he’ll still heal four times faster than you or I.  But even Captain America is getting older.  And that shot his ankle took.” He shook his head in a mixture somewhere between awe and horror.  “One in a million he could have hit it at that exact angle to cause the fractures.”

“Indeed,” Peggy said dryly, “what luck.”

Howard smiled at her.  “He’s fine.  He’ll be in a cast for a couple of weeks.  But the downside to his accelerated healing is that the first couple of days he’ll be in a significant amount of pain.  I recommend keeping him medicated.”

“Since when are you a doctor, Howard?”

He shrugged.  “I’m not.  But thanks to Hydra, I’m one of the few people still alive that has a good amount of insight into how the serum worked and its effects on Steve’s metabolism.”  He smiled broadly.  “You’re welcome.”

 

* * *

 

Annie stood up, her features tight, as Peggy escorted the orderlies who were wheeling Steve toward the hospital entrance.  Annie hurried to Peggy.  “Is Dad going to be okay?”

Peggy wrapped an arm around Annie, ushering her toward the exit, and the waiting car.  “He’ll be fine,” she said.  “He injured himself in a freak accident and he’ll be in a cast for a week or two.”

Steve was conscious, but still very out of it.  The orderlies helped load him into the back of the car.  Howard was watching the progress with interest.  He looked at Peggy.  “Are you guys going to be able to get him in the house?  Do you want me to help?”

“We’ll manage,” Peggy said firmly.  “You’ve done quite enough already, Howard.”

Howard nodded, his demeanor more serious than it had been a few minutes earlier.  Annie climbed in the car and Peggy went to the driver’s side.  Howard followed her, stopping her.  She turned to face him.

“It’s damn good to see you, Peg,” he said quietly.

Peggy nodded, knowing exactly what he meant.  “Thank you, Howard.”

He wrapped her in a tight hug, which she allowed.  She blinked quickly as she pulled back.  “I really must get Steve home.”

Howard nodded, clearing his throat.  “Just let me know if you need anything at all.  Jarvis is on call.”

 

* * *

 

It was nearly midnight by the time Peggy and Annie had Steve situated in the bed.  He was soundly asleep again, and the two of them were exhausted.  Annie headed to her bedroom without a word, leaving Peggy standing in the middle of the master bedroom.  She was afraid of accidentally jostling Steve in the night if she slept in the bed with him.  But she also didn’t want to be too far away in case he needed anything.

In the end, she slept in the bed and hoped for the best.

It turned out to be the correct call.  Steve woke shortly before dawn in a lot of pain.  Peggy got him more pain medication and a glass of water.  She helped him hobble to the bathroom, but kept the talking to a minimum as he didn’t seem inclined to be chatty.

He went back to sleep, but Peggy got up.  She made breakfast and took Annie to school.  When she got back, it was time for more medication for Steve.  He managed to eat a little bit, but then he went right back to sleep.

Peggy made lunch, checked on Steve again, ran some errands, and then picked Annie up from school.  Annie disappeared into her room as Peggy helped Steve into the bathroom again.  This time to shower.  He needed it, but it was a comedy of errors trying to get him clean without getting the cast wet.  By the time he was finished, they were both exhausted and Peggy’s clothes were drenched.

She changed clothes and made dinner.  Steve ate a little bit, but the shower had taken it out of him and he was pale and thin lipped with pain.  Peggy let him rest while she finished eating with Annie.

When Peggy finally collapsed in bed, she was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

 

Peggy woke slowly and it took her a few minutes to realize the phone was ringing.  She looked over at Steve, who was splayed out on his back like a starfish, taking up most the bed, and snoring loudly.

She realized it was the phone and hurried to answer it.  “Hello?”

“Mum?”

Peggy’s heart seemed to stop.  “Annie?  Where are you?”

“Mum, I need help.”

“Tell me where you are.”

 

* * *

 

“Where’s Steve?”

“Laid up with a broken leg,” Peggy said tersely as she climbed into Dugan’s truck.  She hadn’t explained much to him on the phone, just the urgency.  As they drove toward the address Annie had provided, she gave Timothy a brief overview of Steve’s accident - and an even briefer overview of the recent troubles with Annie.

Peggy squinted as he drove down the tree lined street.  It wasn’t hard to figure out where the party was.  There were numerous cars parked outside.  Dugan quickly parked and Peggy jumped out.

Together, they headed toward the front door.  Peggy pushed it open without bothering to knock and was almost immediately confronted by two sizeable young men who looked like they were probably already out of high school.  It was clear they weren’t happy about the arrival of Peggy and Dugan.

One of the boys got in Peggy’s face, trying to ask her questions, but she shoved him against a wall.  “Annie!”

The boy reached out toward Peggy, but Dugan caught his arm and bent it behind his back, shoving him face first against the wall.  “You just stay where you are, son.”

Peggy turned down the hall.  Annie had said that she and her friend, Sue, were locked in one of the bathrooms.  Peggy had no idea how they got a phone in there, but that wasn’t her problem.  “Annie!”

One of the doors opened and Annie stuck her head out, eyes wide.  She ran to Peggy, pulling her friend, Sue, behind her.  Peggy escorted them down the hall and outside.  Dugan followed behind a minute or two later.  

Peggy ascertained that neither of the girls had been hurt.  It was an unfortunate combination of a raided liquor cabinet, and a handful of over eager boys.  The boys had refused to take Annie and Sue home, so they’d barricaded themselves in the bathroom and called for help.

Peggy got both girls into Dugan’s truck.  They dropped Sue off first.  Sue was less than pleased to see her parents standing on their front porch waiting for her.  She exited the truck without a word.  

Dugan drove Peggy and Annie home.  He walked them inside and they were in the midst of saying goodnight in the darkened living room when the living room light flipped on.  Steve stood there, wearing a pair of threadbare pajama pants and nothing else, his hair in disarray and confusion on his features.  “What’s going on?”

Annie burst into tears.  Steve frowned harder, obviously not tracking at all.  

Dugan sighed.  “Come on, Cap.  Let’s get you back to bed.”

Peggy managed to calm down Annie and shoo her to bed.  She thanked Timothy for all his help and gratefully shut the door.

 

* * *

 

Peggy held out a pain pill to Steve but he frowned and shook his head.  Instead, he took her cup of coffee and downed most of it in one gulp.  He grimaced.  “Did ...  _ Dugan _ put me in bed last night?”

Peggy nodded and sat down on the bed.  She relayed the events of the previous night, well aware of Steve’s deepening frown.

“She snuck out again.  She’s grounded for the rest of the year.”

“No, she’s not,” Peggy said firmly.  “She’s in the yard, raking leaves.  Given how hung over she must be right now that’s considerable punishment.”

Steve’s jaw was set.  “She’s grounded.  She hasn’t even been off house arrest for a week and she did it again.”

Peggy sighed.  “You’re right, she broke curfew again.  But she recognized that she was in over her head and she called for help.  I won’t punish her for that, Steve.”

“Fine,” he said petulantly.  “I will.”

“No,” Peggy replied tightly.  “You won’t.”

“Peggy - “

“No, Steve,” she said, pushing herself to her feet and looking down at him.  “You said you want me to parent, damn it.  I’m parenting.  I’m not going to punish her for asking for help.”

She knew he wanted to argue, but he didn’t.  He just sat there, looking sullen.  He finally sighed.  “Was she scared?”

“I think she was more upset than scared.”

She could hear his teeth grinding together.  “Do you think those boys would have tried anything?”

“I don’t know,” Peggy said honestly.  “She’s our daughter.  If push came to shove, I don’t think anybody could have forced her to do anything.  But, despite genetics, she never seems particularly inclined to punch her way out of a situation.”

Steve sniffed loudly and nodded.  “We need to work on that.”

 

* * *

 

Peggy kept Annie busy with chores for most of the day.  For her part, Annie didn’t complain.  And she seemed to be bracing for whatever punishment Steve was going to dole out.  Peggy knew it would be kinder to tell her there wouldn’t be one, but she didn’t.  She’d tell her later.  She figured it would do Annie some good to sweat it for a while.

Peggy wasn’t sure what had unnerved Steve more, Annie sneaking out again, or his foggy memories of being helped back to bed by Dugan.  Peggy definitely felt for him.  Regardless, he decided he was done with the pain medication.  He looked miserable and his color was a rather pasty shade of gray.  But he muddled through.  By evening, he looked tired, but Peggy thought his color had actually improved.

She was surprised to see that he was still awake when she went into the bedroom.  There were several books and a newspaper strewn across the bed.  Apparently they weren’t sufficient distraction.

She knew he was watching her as she stood in front of the dresser, removing her jewelry and placing it in her jewelry box.

“I need you to sit here.”

Peggy met his eyes in the mirror.  “Sit where?”

“On my face.”

She rolled her eyes.  “I’m not going to sit on your face.  I’m going to take a shower.  It’s been a long day and I’m knackered.”

“Peggy, I’m serious.”

She turned around and looked at him.  He was wearing only a pair of shorts, which were tented by his erection.  She wondered how long he’d been lying in here thinking about this.  “Oh, I can see you’re serious,” she assured him.

“ _ Peggy.” _

She gave him a wicked smile and moved toward the bed.  He watched her intently, eyes narrowed, his hands clenching and unclenching restlessly.  But she stayed out of his reach, kneeling at the foot of the bed.

Slowly, she leaned over him, maintaining eye contact.  He didn’t reach for her, but she could see the strain of the effort to stay still on his features.  She brushed lightly across his shorts, causing his breath to catch, as she pressed a soft kiss to the bare skin just above the waistband of his shorts.  She could hear his breathing.  She kissed him again and then nipped lightly at the skin just below his bellybutton.   His breath hissed through his teeth.

She hooked the fingers of her right hand under the waist of his shorts and slowly inched them down. He lifted his hips, abetting her actions.  When his shorts were down to mid-thigh, she looked up at him again.  She smiled.  He swallowed audibly.

Never taking her eyes from his, she gently grasped him in her hand, stroking him from root to tip.  He shuddered, his eyes fluttering closed.  “ _ Peggy.” _  Deciding that teasing him probably wasn’t terribly prudent at the moment, she ducked her head, taking him in her mouth.

He gasped, shifting and then immediately yelped in pain.  She lifted her head and looked at him in concern, but he was shaking his head.  “Don’t stop.  I’m okay.”

She rolled her eyes and ducked her head again, deciding that brevity would be best for everyone.  While Steve was capable of shocking displays of creativity, he was also a creature of habit.  Peggy knew exactly what he liked, exactly what would speed things along.  She took him as deeply as she could, humming as she stroked his testicles.  He grunted and then hissed, his body straining as he came.

She pulled back and licked her lips, looking at him.  His eyes were closed and he was trying to catch his breath.  “Your ... turn,” he managed.

Shaking her head, she unbuttoned her shirt.  “I’m taking a shower.  If you’re still awake when I’m done, we can talk.”

Peggy absolutely did not expect him to be awake when she was done with her shower, but she never should have underestimated his stubborn will.  He arched an eyebrow at her.  “C’mere.”

* * *

 

By the end of the following week, Steve was fully mobile.  He still had the cast, but Peggy suspected the doctors would remove it at his appointment the following week.  Unless he got impatient and removed it himself first.  Peggy figured it was even odds on either outcome.  Though she did hide the reciprocating saw just in case.  He could recover handily from a broken bone.  She wasn’t sure the same was true of an accidental amputation.

Annie seemed more settled, though Peggy was certain she would continue to test her boundaries.  Steve tried to give her a few pointers on hand to hand combat, but Annie hadn’t been impressed.

Her grades were improving, which made everyone happy.  And as far as Peggy knew, she hadn’t snuck out again.  All in all, Peggy figured that things were probably going about as well as they possibly could.  Not perfect.  But happy.

Peggy was attempting to get a comforter down out of the top of the bedroom closet, when Steve snagged her around the waist and pulled her off her feet.  She twisted in his grip, shoving half-heartedly at him.  “Let me go.  I’m busy.”

“Damn right you’re busy,” he said, nipping at her ear.  He backed her against the bedroom wall and proceeded to keep her busy for quite a while.

 

* * *

 

The day after Thanksgiving was the day that would have been John’s twenty-first birthday.  

At Peggy’s request, she, Steve and Annie all got in the car and drove to the cemetery.  She wasn’t sure if it was easier than the last time or not.  Annie held her hand as they stood in front of the grave.  None of them said anything, they all just stood there.

Finally, Peggy said, “Well, we should probably go.”

Annie nodded and Steve wrapped an arm around each of them as they walked back to the car.  Steve held her hand on the drive home.  Annie went out that evening, with friends.  Steve and Peggy were still curled up on the couch watching TV when she came home, two minutes after curfew.

That night, in bed, Peggy curled against Steve’s side, her hand over his heart.  “Thank you.”

“For what?”

She took a deep breath.  “For not giving up on me.”

He hugged her close and pressed a hard kiss to her forehead.  “We couldn’t lose you, Peg.  We love you.”

She nodded, wiping at her tears.  “I love you too.”

 

END STORY

**Author's Note:**

> Reciprocating saws were invented in 1951. Yer welcome.
> 
> ***
> 
> FWIW, things are not resolved with Steve and Peggy. They still have so much work to do. But for now, they're dealing with their grief, and they are trying to live as a family. It will take years before they can even start to sort out all the damage that was done, but they are trying.


End file.
